Night shift workers with babies pls help

[WhyAskMe]

I'm trying to sort my hours for returning to work from maternity leave. I'm going from 10.5 hour night shifts to 12 hour night shifts but I'm closer to home so less travel in the morning. However, I've not worked nights and had children before so please help me, what would you rather work two 12 hour nights then have a night off then back for one night or do three nights consecutively.

Also would you rather work 6 hours extra weekend hours over the course of 4 weeks (78 extra a year) or work four nights in a row. My baby is a good sleeper at night but terrible during the day. Obviously I'll need to get some child care for the days of the nights I'm working so I can have some sleep but I assume I'm going to feel like crap for those days.

Can anyone help with their experiences please?

Hi I do 12.5 hours I have done for 14 years my youngest has just turned 3 and is. Great sleeper at night. I find 3 in a row is a total killer and takes me day to recover . I usually do mon tues sat sun on week and wed thurs the following

3 in a row definitely. The one off before one on again will kill you, you won’t be able to recover and will have to stay in night shift mode. Definitely better to do the weekend hours rather than 4 in a row.

I work shifts either 12 hour days or 12 hour nights and I would do the 3 nights in a row

Thank you. I'll amend my plan for three consecutive nights and just suck up the loss of weekend hours. I figured 4 in a row would be killer but was trying delude myself it wouldn't be that bad. Even though I have a partner I know most of the childcare will fall to me even on night shift days because I would want to see my baby.